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Classical syndromes in occupational medicine: Phosphorus necrosis—A classical occupational disease
Author(s) -
Felton Jean Spencer
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.4700030111
Subject(s) - medicine , disease , occupational disease , occupational medicine , occupational safety and health , legislation , phosphorus , environmental health , occupational exposure , pathology , law , materials science , political science , metallurgy
A disease nearly extinct in occupational health history is phosphorus necrosis, previously seen in near‐epidemic proportions among workers making phosphorus‐containing matches. Similar destructive lesions were encountered early in the 20th century among personnel fabricating fireworks. Through the diligent efforts of an economist and a supportive congressman, legislation was passed in 1912 placing a tax on phosphorus matches, and because of the fiscal burden resulting, a nontoxic substitute for elemental phosphorus was adopted by all manufacturers. Today phosphorus necrosis is extremely rare, but the former presence of the disease points up both apathy and courage in the identification and eradication of a remarkably disfiguring work‐caused disease.